1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to milking equipment, and more particularly to a brest pump for sucking mother's milk.
2. Prior Art
Conventional milking equipment is generally of a filler type or a cylinder type. Recently, it is being considered to change these types of equipment from manual to electrical.
Accordingly, most of today's milking equipment is of the type which feeds the mother's milk into a sucking bottle by a manual suction pump or a cylinder type suction pump. Such milking equipment is defective in that:
1. The suction action is unadjustable;
2. The mother's milk is likely to be forced toward the suction unit;
3. The body is unbalanced and unstable since the suction assembly is provided at the rear part of the trumpet which sucks the mother's milk; and
4. It requires both hands for sucking the mother's milk.
On the other hand, an electric milking equipment which has been recently placed on the market has potential problems. It is not easy to handle due to the complex structure in which the electric suction device is connected to the main unit separately from the milk sucking section. It is also not easy to adjust it with one hand. Furthermore, all such devices have a suction action which is unified and causes the mother's milk to be sucked one-sidedly so that the breast has to increase its burden upon the mother, who inevitably feels displeasure.
In the meantime, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,249,481 and 4,263,912 disclose an improved milking apparatus and method. The apparatus is designed so as to apply suction at least to a nipple synchronously as well as selectively or in either manner when a manual fastening force is exerted to both or either of the nipples and the breast. Accordingly, it requires manual acting force, is difficult to use with one hand, and has difficulty in operation and in suction pressure adjustment.